Our Blog

Bicycle Safety in the Summer

With summer in Virginia right around the corner, it’s a good time to inspect and repair the bicycles of your family members in order to enjoy the great landscapes and neighborhoods Virginia has to offer while riding on your bike.

Begin your inspection/repair by:

1. Inflating the bike tires to the pressure molded on the side wall of the tires.Tires without adequate air pressure make it harder to pedal.
2. Lubing/oiling the bike chain.A dry, brittle chain can break and cause an accident and/or injury.
3. Adjusting the bicycle seat.This is especially for a child’s bike because children are continuously growing and the seat will need to be adjusted to the growth.
4. Adjusting and checking the bicycle helmet.Make sure the helmet is adjusted, fit to level and does not slip.You should also check the helmet for any wear and tear or cracks.If you discover any cracks (or had an accident in the helmet before), you will need to replace the helmet.

In 2012, there were 804 bicycle accidents with 11 fatalities in Virginia.  In order to prevent a bicycle accident, please be aware that all bicycle riders are subject to the same laws as motor vehicles drivers.

You should also dress for bicycle safety by wearing reflective clothing and applying reflective tape to your bicycle when/if riding at night – we highly discourage riding at night because it’s a risk.

If you have any questions about bicycle safety or a bicycle accident, you can order a copy of our FREE book “A Crash Course in Virginia Automobile Injury Cases.” Go to the “Free Offer” section on the right side of our site and we will mail it out to you within one business day of your request.   While this book focuses on automobile accidents, it’s also applicable to bicycle accidents in Virginia.

You can also contact us via CHAT to have your question(s) answered right away by one of our team members.  Click on the “We’re Here to Help” tab on the right side of our site and one of our team members will assist you right away.

Have a great summer!